Compiled, Translated & Annotated

Abu Hibbaan & Abu Khuzaimah Ansaari

Shaikh Muhammad Abdullah Ghazipuri was born in 1260/1844 in Mau in Northern India. He studied with numerous Scholars. He was under the tutelage of the Indian Hadith Master, Shaikh Sayyid Muhammad Nazir Hussain Muhaddith Delhi (1320H) who he also received Ijazah from and was considered to be from amongst his most notable students. He also gained ijazah in hadith from Shaikh Abbas bin and al-Rahman al-Yamani in 1297H, who was the direct student of Imam Shawkani. He died in 1337/1918 in Lucknow. (Nazhah al-Khawatir 8:305-307, Tarajim Ulama al-Hadith (p.459)

Question: Are mawlid gatherings permissible or impermissible?

Answer: It is impermissible to organise and participate in mawlid gatherings because the Messenger of Allah Sallalahu Alayhi Wasallam did not himself organise such mawlid gatherings during his time and neither did he instruct his Ummah to do likewise. The companions also did not organise or participate in such mawlid gatherings during his time. Furthermore, what is the legal status of such gatherings? Prophethood finished with the Messenger of Allah Sallalahu Alayhi Wasallam and thus its legislation also finished with his prophethood, therefore how can these mawlid gatherings be permissible.

Hidayah mentions it is makruh i.e. prohibitively disliked to pray optional prayers other than the Sunnah prayers after Fajr and the reason cited for this is that the Messenger of Allah (Sallalahu Alayhi Wasallam) despite being keen to offer prayers would not extend beyond the legislated number of rakahs (Hidayah 1:82)

Hidayah further mentions that one should not pray any optional prayers before the Eid prayer at the Musallah and the reason for this despite the Messenger of Allah (Sallalahu Alayhi Wasallam) being keen to offer prayer never prayed any optional prayers before the Eid prayer. (Hidayah 1:155)